Madonna no 3 in People Magazine's Top 10 80s artists

[Guest Disgusting Cat]

The Cure, who peaked in the 80s, REALLY should be on this list. They paved the influence too and started out waaaay before most of those other bands. MJ deserves No.1, but thats just my opinion. People are entitled to theirs.

[GimmeSomeMo]

as much as I prefer Prince over MJ, as an icon, during the eighties, maybe Michael shoudl be at number 1.as a musician, or artist, no, but as an icon (the MTV years...) yes

I don't know... people say that IN HIS MOMENT MJ was unsurpassed. That the mania around him was unsurpassed and cannot be imagined by today's standards. Madonna has the longevity and Prince the artistry and musicianship but according to people who lived through it, MJ was the BIGGEST STAR.

[laisla]

just 1980-1989

yes,maybe

[Guest Disgusting Cat]

I don't know... people say that IN HIS MOMENT MJ was unsurpassed. That the mania around him was unsurpassed and cannot be imagined by today's standards. Madonna has the longevity and Prince the artistry and musicianship but according to people who lived through it, MJ was the BIGGEST STAR.

He wasnt disagreeing with you...

[Kurt420]

The top 3 couldn't be anybody else. It had to be those 3. Really you could probably justify any one of them being at number one for different reasons but since it is top "80's artists" I think it's pretty much perfect that Prince tops the list. This man writes, produces, plays instruments and composes every single piece of music that he has ever recorded, that can't be underestimated. Especially when he's creating stuff like his output from the 80's. I think while MJ may have been the most influential visually between he and Prince, I'd say Prince's sound and style has been ripped off and recycled continuously for 25 years now. As mentioned, Timbo, Pharrell would be NOTHING without Prince. In fact, I remember the first time I heard Until The End Of Time on Justin's album and before I heard anybody sing a note I thought it was an old Prince song. Last Night by Diddy was the same thing, the first time I heard it on the radio I thought "OMG Prince has a new song that sounds like his old songs and radio is actually playing it!!" .

And it is true that MJ was the biggest star of the time and that there really hasn't been anyone since him that has had that sort of impact. HE WAS MASSIVE and owned the 80's. MJ had some brilliant music back then, but again, he's more visual. Whenver you (at least I do this) hear one of his songs from that time you can't help but imagine the video that goes with it. MJ was also more "safe" with his musical approach whereas Prince experimented like a mad man and still came out with the goods.

As brilliant as MJ and Prince were, Madonna perhaps evolved the fastest as an artist between the 3. After all, it was "only" six years in between her first album and LAP. That's quite a musical evolution for such a small period of time. I'm not sure that there has ever been a more perfect run of singles by any artist before or since than Madonna's 80's single releases. Image wise, she was giving Michael a run for his money and just like him, I think that's how she's been the most influential.

[GimmeSomeMo]

He wasnt disagreeing with you...

I know he wasn't, I was just contemplating what many fans say without having reached a conclusion myself.

[promise to try]

I don't know... people say that IN HIS MOMENT MJ was unsurpassed. That the mania around him was unsurpassed and cannot be imagined by today's standards. Madonna has the longevity and Prince the artistry and musicianship but according to people who lived through it, MJ was the BIGGEST STAR.

go to youtube and enter another part of me live, there´s one video, i think in kansas,where you can see him when he was incredible:the way he moves and sings at the same time...incredible

[bliss]

Debbie Gibson or Tiffany should be on the list.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

Prince? Was he so big in the 80s? I don't know any of his songs. MJ deserves nº 1 and Madonna nº2 IMO. Glad to see The Smiths and The boss in that list though.

you seriously know no Prince songs? No Kiss, Little Red Corvette, Purple Rain, 1999, When Doves Cry, Raspberry Beret, Cream, U Got The Look, Let's Go Crazy, Delirious, Sign O' The Times, I Wanna Be Your Lover, etc? What about Chaka Khan's I Feel For You, Sinead O'Connor's Nothing Compares 2 U, Sheila E's The Glamorous Life, The Bangles' Manic Monday, Vanity 6's Nasty Girl, The Time's Jungle Love, Cyndi Lauper's When You Were Mine, Sheena Easton's Sugar Walls, etc? All songs he wrote, many of which he produced.

I am glad he's above MJ, MJ was definately the bigger star in the 80's (but MJ was also family friendly while Prince was the artist responsible for parental advisory stickers) but I think Prince was by far the more interesting one. MJ definitely belongs on the list, but glad to see him #2 behind Prince. Prince ruled the 80's like Bowie and Stevie ruled the 70's IMO.

[surannée]

This the accurate list:

1. Michael Jackson

2. Madonna

3. Bruce Springsteen

4. Prince

5. U2

6. Whitney Houston

7. George Michael

8. Dire Straits

9. Tina Turner

10. Smiths

[Guest Coked Up Baby Boy]

The Smiths? would you put them in the top 10? i know they're well known but i imagine the everyday music listener would have heard a song by the first 9 people before they knew a song by The Smiths. No one i know has any idea bout them they are good though yes

[promise to try]

I know The smiths are/were great, but I didn´t know who they were during the 80´s

and,madonna is my favourite artist, but, during the eighties, well, Prince and MJ had something magical (that they don´t have anymore), madonna was "just" doing great music, brilliant videos, and fabulous live performances.But the guys were magic, pure magic.

And I can´t believe somebody with any interest in music doesn´t know at least 5 prince´s songs

[StrawberryBounce12]

If we're talking about strictly 80's, then I just don't see how Prince could be #1. I'm a Prince fan but the media kisses his ass so much these day's it's not even funny. He hasn't put out a truly good record in ages. Madonna's recent output has been far superior to his, so if anything she should be above him. It's not just about the music though, album sales should be factored in, as well as music video's, cultural impact,etc. Prince was HUGE in the 80's and that's when he made his best albums, but I don't see how he was the biggest artist of that decade and I think the average person would agree with me there. If you asked the average person on the street who was the biggest or best artist of the 80's, I am willing to bet the majority would say Madonna or Michael.

If we're talking about the 80's only, then I think the list should be:

#1)Michael

#2)Madonna

#3)Prince

#4)Janet

#5)George Michael

[promise to try]

If we're talking about strictly 80's, then I just don't see how Prince could be #1. I'm a Prince fan but the media kisses his ass so much these day's it's not even funny. He hasn't put out a truly good record in ages. Madonna's recent output has been far superior to his, so if anything she should be above him. It's not just about the music though, album sales should be factored in, as well as music video's, cultural impact,etc. Prince was HUGE in the 80's and that's when he made his best albums, but I don't see how he was the biggest artist of that decade and I think the average person would agree with me there. If you asked the average person on the street who was the biggest or best artist of the 80's, I am willing to bet the majority would say Madonna or Michael.

If we're talking about the 80's only, then I think the list should be:

#1)Michael

#2)Madonna

#3)Prince

#4)Janet

#5)George Michael

Janet??? until her "Janet" album, and even after that, she was still Michael´s sister, outside the US of course

[Guest Coked Up Baby Boy]

If we're talking about strictly 80's, then I just don't see how Prince could be #1. I'm a Prince fan but the media kisses his ass so much these day's it's not even funny. He hasn't put out a truly good record in ages.

Neither has Janet.

Not that it matters anyway, this has nothing to do with "ages", it's about the 80's. Prince was well and truly at the top of his game in the 80's.

[surannée]

The Smiths? would you put them in the top 10? i know they're well known but i imagine the everyday music listener would have heard a song by the first 9 people before they knew a song by The Smiths. No one i know has any idea bout them they are good though yes

Maybe you should leave your house a bit more often, LOL. They made a huge cultural impact in the eighties. I know - I was there.

[Je5u5]

ABBA were only active for a couple of years during the 80s, and sales and popularity were going down dramatically.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

Janet??? until her "Janet" album, and even after that, she was still Michael´s sister, outside the US of course

Janet was one of the biggest stars around in the US in 86-87 and 89-90. I remember when MTV would throw Janet-centered weekends around a world premiere video back in the day. Maybe it was US-only, but it did happen. Madonna, Paula and Janet were pretty much IT for female pop stars at the end of the 80's/dawn of the 90's.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

If we're talking about strictly 80's, then I just don't see how Prince could be #1. I'm a Prince fan but the media kisses his ass so much these day's it's not even funny. He hasn't put out a truly good record in ages. Madonna's recent output has been far superior to his, so if anything she should be above him. It's not just about the music though, album sales should be factored in, as well as music video's, cultural impact,etc. Prince was HUGE in the 80's and that's when he made his best albums, but I don't see how he was the biggest artist of that decade and I think the average person would agree with me there. If you asked the average person on the street who was the biggest or best artist of the 80's, I am willing to bet the majority would say Madonna or Michael.

If we're talking about the 80's only, then I think the list should be:

#1)Michael

#2)Madonna

#3)Prince

#4)Janet

#5)George Michael

"best" and "biggest" are two different things IMO. This is like the 70's, Elton John and The Bee Gees were truly the biggest selling hitmakers of that decade, but in terms of batting out legendary albums, the decade belonged to Stevie Wonder and David Bowie, so a lot of people will look back and say they were the greatest artists of the 70's even if Elton (who I do think released a lot of great albums between his self-titled album and Blue Moves) or The Bee Gees were the ones who had #1 after #1.

The 80's was Prince's decade. If he'd died or retired after Lovesexy, people would look at his catalog the way they look at The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix or Nirvana. It's all the crap he did afterwards that tarnished his reputation, but in terms of consistency, no artist was as consistent at making classic after classic in the 1980's like Prince did. Michael had the horrible "Victory" album with his brothers, Madonna had Like A Virgin (big seller, horrid album), U2 and maybe Springsteen were the only others who I think could be argued were as consistent that decade.

[s@ndz]

Yeah, Prince was UNMATCHED in musicianship.

But everyone talking about how good Prince was compared to anybody on this list miss the point. The piece is about the TOP 10 artists of the 80s, and NOT the Best artist. When one is the best, he isn't necessarily the TOP, and vice versa. Being the Top artist should include a broader list of criteria that includes, yes, quality of efforts, impact on pop culture (and society at large), popularity, sales and charts success, and influence. One criterion that is essential also is who people remember the most when they talk about the 80s: who define its look and feel (and sound).

How can Prince be the top when he leads only in one of the above, competes very well in another, and lags greatly behind in the rest? Both Madonna and Michael duke it out for pole position in more criteria than Prince can ever hope for.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

Yeah, Prince was UNMATCHED in musicianship.

But everyone talking about how good Prince was compared to anybody on this list miss the point. The piece is about the TOP 10 artists of the 80s, and NOT the Best artist. When one is the best, he isn't necessarily the TOP, and vice versa. Being the Top artist should include a broader list of criteria that includes, yes, quality of efforts, impact on pop culture (and society at large), popularity, sales and charts success, and influence. One criterion that is essential also is who people remember the most when they talk about the 80s: who define its look and feel (and sound).

How can Prince be the top when he leads only in one of the above, competes very well in another, and lags greatly behind in the rest? Both Madonna and Michael duke it out for pole position in more criteria than Prince can ever hope for.

well, true, but Prince never quite chased the type of success that MJ and Madonna basked in in the 1980's. He had the keys to the kingdom with Purple Rain and what does he do to follow it up? He releases a ballsy artsy fartsy psychedelic album before Purple Rain was even out of the top 40 because he wanted to be an artist, not a pop superstar. So in a sense, it's more Prince's fault why he wasn't as big as MJ or Madge because he knew he could never make the music he wanted to make if he had to live up to the expectations that comes with megastardom and he gladly undid everything Purple Rain did for him with Around The World In A Day and Parade.

[s@ndz]

^ Well that makes Prince the best artist in his heyday, the 80s, but not the top.

[promise to try]

Maybe you should leave your house a bit more often, LOL. They made a huge cultural impact in the eighties. I know - I was there.

I know the smiths were important, quality wise, and very popular, they still are...but wasn´t it only in the UK? I mean, duting the eighties I lived between france and Spain, and believe me, Duran Duran, PSB , RHC Peppers or a lot other bands were more popular than they were.In fact, I started to knew who they were later, during the ninetees 8a little bit similar to what happened to me with REM)